The Jets return two safeties who started last season – Dawan Landry and Antonio Allen. During organized team activities and minicamp, Allen and Pryor worked with the first team, since Landry is a veteran who knows the defense so well, said coach Rex Ryan.

So it will be interesting to see how the Jets approach the safety competition when they begin training camp here Thursday morning.

But one thing is clear: Pryor remains as vocally assertive as ever, refreshingly unafraid of saying he is catching on to this whole NFL thing faster than even expected.

“I proved a little bit during OTAs and minicamp that I can learn the playbook fast and buckle down,” he said Wednesday when the Jets reported to camp. “That all comes with time and preparation.”

Many observers expect him to win a starting job. He knows this.

“I can’t speak on that,” he said. “The best players are going to play. It’s my job to go out there and prove each and every day that I’m worthy of that position, and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Pryor said his transition to the NFL is “way smoother” than he thought it would be, and then he addressed that transition from a locker room standpoint.

“You hear so much going into the NFL about how they treat the players,” he said. “Ever since I stepped in, my teammates have been great with me. It’s time to turn around and go win some ball games and take this team to a place we’ve never been before.

“With the talent that we have on this team, I definitely think we are capable of having a playoff season, but we have to go out there and prove it.”

But what about his on-field transition, in terms of actually practicing and learning the defense?

“It’s been a lot smoother than I expected,” he said. “I was hearing so many things about the NFL – it’s so hard, the game is so much faster. But at the end of the day, when you’re a football player, you’re going to make sure that you get in your playbook, so you can play fast. But at the end of the day, I still have to go prove myself.”